THE conversion of Collins Barracks, Dublin, into a new National Museum was started without a long term strategic plan for the project, according to a special report carried out by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr John Purcell, published yesterday.
The reasons for the absence of a firm project plan were ongoing uncertainty about the amount of funding which would be made available. For the first 2 1/2 years of the project it was not known whether the amount of funding available for building and renovation work would be £25 million or £33 million.
While no overall project budget was set, the Office of Public Works suggested a number of strategies to indicate how different amounts of funding for building and renovation work might be used and what accommodation could be produced.
It was decided in July 1996 that" overall funding for the building and renovation of the Collins Barracks project would be £28 million. The cost of the work 50 far has accounted for £12.5 million.